Display module and electronic device

• US 10,670,898 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2018
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Original Assignee: Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Limited
• Inventors: Cheng, Caiquan
• Primary Examiner(s): Merlin, Jessica M
• Application Number:
  US16/183,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20190196248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133322 Mechanical guidance or alignment of LCD panel support components
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133331 Cover glasses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133603 with LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly

Abstract

A display module includes a liquid crystal layer defining a notch at a border thereof; and a drive circuit module disposed at the border of the liquid crystal layer, wherein the drive circuit is separated by the notch. An electronic device having the display module is also provided.

Claims

1. A display module, comprising:

a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel having;

a liquid crystal layer defining a notch at a first border thereof, the first border comprising two sub-borders at opposite sides of the notch, and the liquid crystal layer comprising a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a bottom side each in the notch; and

a drive circuit module coupled to the liquid crystal layer;

wherein the drive circuit module comprises a first circuit, a bottom circuit, a first conductor, and a second conductor;

the first circuit comprises two sub-circuits at opposite sides of the notch, and each of the sub-circuits is disposed along and attached to a corresponding sub-border, the first circuit is configured to apply voltage across the liquid crystal layer;

the bottom circuit is disposed along and attached to the bottom side;

the first conductor is disposed along the first lateral side, and is coupled between the bottom circuit and one of the sub-circuits; and

the second conductor is disposed along the second lateral side, and is coupled between the bottom circuit and another sub-circuit.

2. The display module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive circuit module surrounds the liquid crystal layer.

3. The display module as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom side is disposed between the first lateral side and the second lateral side;

the first lateral side is coupled to one of the sub-borders, and the second lateral side is coupled to another sub-border.

4. The display module as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first lateral side is perpendicular to the bottom side and one of the two sub-borders, and the second lateral side is perpendicular to the bottom side and another sub-border.

5. The display module as claimed in claim 4, wherein the liquid crystal layer further comprises a second border and a fourth border substantially parallel to each other, the drive circuit module further comprises a second circuit and a third circuit, the second circuit is disposed along and attached to the second border, the third circuit is disposed along and attached to the fourth border, and the second circuit and the third circuit are configured to control and activate the first circuit.

6. The display module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal layer comprises:

a second border, coupled to the first border a third border, coupled to the second border and opposite to the first border; and

a fourth border opposite to the second border and disposed between the first border and the third border;

the drive circuit module comprises;

a second circuit, coupled to the second border; and

a third circuit, coupled to the fourth border.

7. The display module as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display module further comprises a cover and a back light disposed on two opposite sides of the LCD panel;

the cover comprises;

a visible effective display region through which the light from the backlight passing; and

a visible non-display region corresponding to the notch.

8. The display module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a drive chip disposed in the notch and coupled to the drive circuit module, and the drive chip being configured to control the drive circuit module.

9. The display module as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flexible printed circuit (FPC) coupled between the drive circuit module and a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the flexible printed circuit is folded and disposed in the notch.

10. A display module, comprising:

a cover having;

a visible effective display region;

a visible non-display region coupled to the visible effective display region; and

a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel stacked on the cover, and the LCD panel comprising;

a liquid crystal layer facing the visible effective display region and defining a notch at a first border thereof, the notch facing the visible non-display region; and

a drive circuit module surrounding and coupled to the liquid crystal layer;

wherein the display module further comprises a flexible printed circuit (FPC) and a drive chip;

the FPC connects the drive circuit module to a printed circuit board (PCB), the FPC is folded and received in the notch;

the drive chip is coupled to the drive circuit module and the PCB, the drive chip is configured to control the drive circuit module and is arranged in the notch;

the drive circuit module comprises a first circuit configured to apply voltage across the liquid crystal layer, the first border comprises two sub-borders at opposite sides of the notch, and the first circuit comprises two sub-circuits respectively disposed along and attached to the two sub-borders.

11. The display module as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a backlight stacked to the LCD panel and configured to apply light to the LCD panel.

12. The display module as claimed in claim 10, wherein the liquid crystal layer further comprises a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a bottom side in the notch;

the bottom side is disposed between the first lateral side and the first lateral side;

the first lateral side is coupled between the bottom side and one of the sub-borders, and the second lateral side is coupled between the bottom side and another sub-border.

13. The display module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the drive circuit module further comprises a bottom circuit, the bottom circuit is disposed along and attached to the bottom side.

14. The display module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the drive circuit module further comprises a first conductor and a second conductor;

the first conductor is coupled between the bottom circuit and one of the sub-circuits, and the first conductor is disposed along the first lateral side;

the second conductor is coupled between the bottom circuit and another sub-circuit, and the second conductor is disposed along the second lateral side.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

a printed circuit board (PCB);

a drive chip coupled to the PCB;

a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel defining a notch therein, the LCD panel comprising;

a liquid crystal layer comprising two sub-borders, a first lateral side, a second lateral side and a bottom side;

the two sub-borders being positioned at two opposite sides of the notch and spaced from each other by the notch;

the first lateral side, the second lateral side and the bottom side being in the notch, the first lateral side being connected between the bottom side and one of the sub-boarder, and the second lateral side being connected between the bottom side and another sub-border; and

a drive circuit module surrounding the liquid crystal layer;

wherein the drive chip is arranged in the notch, coupled to the drive circuit module, and configured to control the drive circuit module;

the drive circuit module comprises a bottom circuit disposed along and attached to the bottom side, a first conductor disposed along the first lateral side, a second conductor disposed along the second lateral side, and a first circuit configured to apply voltage across the liquid crystal layer, the first circuit comprises two sub-circuits each disposed along and attached to a corresponding sub-border;

the first conductor is coupled between the bottom circuit and one of the sub-circuits, the second conductor is coupled between the bottom circuit and another sub-circuit.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a function module coupled to the PCB, wherein the function module is received in the notch.

17. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a resin layer and a backlight, the LCD panel being sandwiched between the resin layer and the backlight, the notch penetrating through the resin layer and the backlight.

18. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first lateral side is perpendicular to the bottom side and one of the two sub-borders, and the second lateral side is perpendicular to the bottom side and another sub-border.

19. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the liquid crystal layer further comprises a second border and a fourth border substantially parallel to each other, the drive circuit module further comprises a second circuit and a third circuit, the second circuit is disposed along and attached to the second border, the third circuit is disposed along and attached to the fourth border, and the second circuit and the third circuit are configured to control and activate the first circuit.

20. The electronic device as claimed in claim 17, further comprising a housing, wherein the PCB is received in the housing and disposed close to the backlight.